Fuelizer for hydrocarbons



1929- c. A. FRENCH ET AL 7 1,733,658

FUELI ZER FOR HYDROCARBONS Filed Nov. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l CHAELEfiA FRENCH. Russ/ELL. A. M/ATEPMAM ()Ct. 29, 1929. F H ET AL 1,733,658

FUELI ZER FOR HYDROCARBONS Filed Nov. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2CHARLAi-s A. Hem CH. E0555 Vl/TEEMA/V.

(Horuug Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE ,CHARLES A.FRENCH AND RUSSELL R. WATERMAN, or LON BEACH, CALIFORNIA,

ASSIGNORS 'ro FARMERS NATIONAL BANK, TRUSTEE, or GREENVILLE, orno, A

oo oR'arIoN 0E OHIO EUELIzER FOR HYnRooARBoNs Application med November25, 1924. Serial No. 752,273. Y

is complete. Fuel of this class which is vaporized by being incontinuous contactvwith the rapidly moving current of a gaseous mediumother than fuel vapor does notdecompose enough to form any tar or solidcarbon deposits. The perfect combustion of heavy liquid hydrocarbons andthe volatile portion of solid -hydrocarbons present many obstacles owingto the diflioulty of preparing a homogeneous explosive mixture ofcombining proportions previous to ignition.

In the normal combustion of any hydro carbon the fuel burns entirelyfrom the molecule. There is a steady, orderly, progressivehydroxylationwhich always results in an entirely blue, transparent flamethat is comparatively non-luminous and non-radiant In such a combustionthere is no dissociation of the fuel molecules, consequently no carbonis freed, therefore the flame is of an almost entirely electricalcharacter, practically indistinguishable from the purely electrical blueflame. p

The principal object of this invention is to provide a vaporizer thatwill perform the above named functions; another object is to provide afuelizer of this class for burners particularly for generating steam inauto mobile steam power plants, but the princiles involved arevery-broad and may be embodied in burners of many kinds; another objectof the invention is to provide a'fuelizer of this class which mixes thefuel'and air in combining proportions and by centrifugal or inertiaseparatlon throws the fuel against a surface heated partially orentirely by contact with the flame of the burner or part ally orentirelyby the flame of apilot burner, the said heated surface beingscrubbed by the air thereby preventing thefcracking of fuel andsubsequent deposition of carbon; another object of the inventionis toprovide a means whereby the fuel vapor as fast as formed mixes with theair and passes through the grating" or nozzle from which it is burned;another object of the invention is to provide a burner of this class inwhich the air and fuel is subjected to a centrifugal whirling motiontending to throw the heavier portions adjacent the heated surface andthe same degree of heat.

With these and other'obj ects in view as will appear hereinafterourinvention consists of certain novel features of construction, com-"lighter portions not being subjected tothe bination and. arrangement ofparts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail andparticularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had totheaccompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon whichform a part of, this application in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the fuelizer shownfragmentarily, show ing particularly(the vaporizer and air controlmechanism; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the middle of thevaporizer showing some of the parts in elevation'and certain portions ofthe parts in elevation broken away and in section to facilitate theillustration; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof through 33of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a similar view through 44 of Fig. 2; Fig.5 is asimilar view through 55 of Fig. 2 showing some of the parts and portionsin full plan to facilitate the illustration; Fig.6 is a similar viewthrough 66 of Fig. 2' and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through77 of Fig. 5. v

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The vaporizer 1, air supply conductor 2,

pilot combustion chamber 3, circular grating 4, chamber 5, spark plug 6,main fuel carcore 1 therein, In one side is provided an;

orifice 1 which connects with the conductor 7 from the vmain fuelcarbureter 7, shown only in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This carbuv reter 7is the main carburetor for the fuel supply. It is provided with apressure tube 7 communicating with the air inlet pipe 10. It .Will behere noted that the air inlet pipe 10 is provided with a fan to provideair under pressure in the conductor tube 2. Secured in the interior ofthe wall of the vaporizer 1,

7 preferably integral therewith, in the chamber 1 is a rib 1 which is ininvolute form and serves to prevent the fuel from the carbureter fromrunning down on the wall of the vaporizer 1 as it enters the vaporizerfrom the carbur'eter 7. This vaporizer 1 is prov vided at its normallylower side with an annular chamber 1 which does not communicate with theinterior of the vaporizer direct- 1y. Communicating with this chamber 1is a conductor '1 which connects therewith on a tangent as shown bestinFig. of the draw ings. Communicating with this conductor 1- is theconductor 2 which is provided with a contracted nozzle portion 2 whichenters a small opening in the conductor 1. This conductor 2 isprovidedwith a carbureter 8 as shownonly in Fig. Poi the drawings whichcarburetor 8 is of a conventional type and adaptedito feedfuel to theconductor 2 in the proper proportion to the air passing through theconductor 2. Therefore the fuel consistin of air from the air conductorand hy rocarbon from the carbureter 8 asses through the nozzle 2,conductor 1 into the annular chamber 1 on a tangent and assumes awhirling motion in said annular an chamber. In the lower wall of thisannular chamber 1} is provided an upwardly extending-0rifice member 1shaped as shown best in Figs. 5 and 7 ofthe drawings which is adaptedtoreceive the mixed fuel and air which asses downwardly through theorifice 1" in t e member 1' and down into the pilot grating chamber 5.It will be here noted that r the orifice 1 is positioned inwardly fromthe wall forming the outer and upper walls of the chamber 1, andupwardly from the wall forming the upper side of the chamber=5 so thatthe heavierfuels will not pass down but will-continue-on said walls, byreason of the circulating current of gases, and be heated by conductionand formed into a vapor before passing down through the orifice 1 intothe chamber-5, it being noted that a passage for the heavier fuels isprovided inwardly and upwardly from the portion in which the orifice isformed, said portion'being also inclined upwardly in the direction ofthe circulating gases. The chamber 5 is provided with an annulargrating. partition 4: providinga combustion chamber 5 in the interior ofthe partition 4. Inthis partition 4 are a plurality of slots or holes 4*extending therethrough on an angle so that the fuel in passing' from thechamber 5. into the combustion chamber 5 passes through the partition onan angle to its axis thus providing additional whirling motion to andhomogenizing of the combustible mixture as it enters the com bustionchamber 5 Mounted'in the lower side of this combustion chamber 5 is aspark plug 6 which is connected with an electrical system of aconventional type whereby it is provided with intermittent sparks forigniting thefuel in the combustion chamber 5 and provides a meanswhereby if the fuel mixture should become wet or foul in any manner andthe pilot fire extinguished the spark plug will reignite the fuel in thecombustion chamber 5. It Will be here noted that complete combustiontakes place in the combustion chamber '5 and the fuel is consumed in ablue flame the burned gases and heat passing up through the smallrounded opening 1 into the main vaporizer chamber 1 and passes on up ina whirlingmanner thus tending by reason of the centrifugal force tocause the burned gases to' move adj acent the inner wall of the casing1, passin aroundthe core 1 and passing out through the conductor 9. V

It will be noted that the fuel burner hereinbefore described and termeda pilot burner burns continuously keepin the walls of the pilotvaporizer and main%) urner vaporizer of the proper heat at all times andforming the foundation and circulating medium for vaporizin the mainfuel which passes in through t e orifice 1 from the carbureter 7 shownin Fig. 1 and is picked up by the whirling motion of the burned gasesfrom the combustion chamber 5 and vaporized thereby and passes out withthe burned gases in the conductor 9. Thus it will be noted that the fuelburned and whirling motion imparted to the burned gases in thecombustion chamber 5 forms the medium and vehicle for vaporizing themain fuel from the carbureter 7. The whirling motion of the burned gasesin chamber 1 causes the liquid fuel from carbureter 7 to rotate againstthe inner wall of vaporizing cham'berl adjacent to orifice 1. This wallis heated by conduction from pilot combustion chamber 5 by convectionfrom the burned gases therefrom and by radiation from the core 1". Theheat absorbed from the wall and from the current ofhot burned gasespassing over the liquid causes valve 11 through the Venturi tube 12 TheVenturi tube 12 is provided with a plurality of apertures 12 throughwhich the fuel passes and the air engages it at a contracted rightangled position in the Venturi tube 12 and the mixed fuel and air isconducted downwardly to the burner 13 which is preferably a convoluteburner which starts the fuel whirling and it is burned in this whirlingcondition. y

The operation of the fuelizer is as follows: Air under pressure from thefan passes down through the air conductors 10 and passes through theconductor 2 and fuel is admitted to the nozzle 2' from the carbureter 8and passes through the nozzle '2 into the conductor 1 which connectswiththe chamber-1 on a tangent, therefore the fuel passes into theannular chamber 1 on a tangent and assumes a whirling motion,whirlingaround in the annular chamber 1*. The proper mixing of the fuelvapor and air is brought about in passing it through the orifice 1 intothe annular chamber 5 below. In the chamber 5 it continues its whirlingmotion, passes out through the holes or channels 4* into the combustionchamber 5 burned and kept ignited by the spark plug 6. The. gases fromthe complete combustion passing upwardly in a whirling motion in throughthe opening 1 into the chamber 1%, thereby heating the walls of chamber1*. The whirling motion of the burned gases in chamber 1 causes theliquid fuel from carbureter 7 to rotate against the inner wall ofvaporizing chamber 1 adjacent to orifice 1. This wall is heated byconduction from pilot combustion chamber 5, by convection from theburned gases therefrom and by radiation from the core 1". The heatabsorbed from the wall and from the current of hot burned gases passingover the liquid causes it to vaporize and the vapor passes inwardlythrough the liquid to the current of burned gases by which it is sweptout of vaporizing chamber 1 as fast as formed to conductor 9, then tothe mixing chamber 12 through the orifices l2 there mixing with the airfrom the main air conductor 10 in the Venturi tube 12 and the mixed airand fuel passing downwardly .to the burner 13 where it is burned in theordinary manner.

Though We have shown and described a particular construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions we do not wish to belimited to this particular'construction combination and arrangement butdesire to lnclude 1n the scope of our invention the construction,combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the ap-'pended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a fuelizer for hydrocarbons, a fuel and air pressure supply means,an annular vaporizing member, tangential conducting means for causin thefuel to whirl and-circulate in the sai her, a combustion chambercommunicating therewith, means for causing the burned gases to whirl, achamber for receiving the same, heated by conduction, convection and.radiation, and a main fuel supply communieating with said last mentionedchamber whereby fuel from the main supply intermingles with the burnedgases from the combustion chamber and the main supply is completelyvaporized.

2. In a fuelizer for hydrocarbons, a pilot burner, a chamber forreceiving the burned gases from said pilot burner provided with acentral solid heating core, a main fuel supply communicating with thechamber receivannular vaporizing meming the-burned gases from said pilotburner,

means for causing the fluids to whirl in said chamber, means forsupplying fuel under pressure to said pilot burner, and other means forsubjecting said fuel to centrifugal motion in said pilot burner.

3. In a fuelizer for hydrocarbons, a pilot burner, a chamber forreceiving the burned gases from said pilot burner provided with acentral solid heating core, a main fuel supply communicating with thechamber receiving the burned gases from said pilot burner, means forcausing the fluids to whirl in said main vaporizing chamber, means forsupplying fuel under pressure t'o'said pilot burner, other'means for.subjecting said fuel to centrifugal motion in said pilot burner, andmeans for igniting the fuel in said pilot burner.

4. In afuelizer forhydrocarbons,mean's for supplying a fuel mixtureunder pressure, an annular receiving chamber for said fuel mixture, anannular partition provided with a plurality of angularly positionedopenings 'therethrough, means for igniting the fuel mixture .on theinteriorof said partition, a chamber for receiving the burned gases fromsaid receiving chamber provided with a central solid heatingcore,amainfuel supply communicating therewith, a conductor for the mixture of mainfuel supply and burned gases, a Venturi tube for receiving the fuelsupply from said vaporizing chamber'and air under pressure through saidVenturi tube.

5. In a fuelizer for hydrocarbons, means for supplying a fuel mixtureunder pressure, an annular receiving chamber therefor, an

5 annular partition provided a plurality of angularly [positionedopenings therethrough, means for igniting the fuel on the interior ofsaid partition, a chamberfor receivmg the burned gases from saldreceiving chamber provided with a central solid heating core, amain fuelsupply communicatingtherewithya conductor for the main fuel supplyandburned gases, 9. 'Venturi tube for receiving the fuel supply from saidvaporizing chamber, and air under pressure through said Venturi tube,and a burner communicatingwith said Venturi tube.-

6. In a fuelizer for hyrdocarbons, a vaporizer consisting of an outercasing, a central solid heating core extending therein, an annularchamber surrounding the outer side of the wall of the main chamber,another annular chamber communicating therewith, a partition thereinprovided with orifices therethrough, forming a central combustionchamber, contracted communicating means between said central combustionchamber and the main chamber, means for introducing fuel and air mixtureunder pressureon a tangent to said annular chamber, and tanmam hotburned gases from the combustion chamber, means for causing said hotgases to whirl within and against the peripheral portions of the innerwalls of said vaporizing chamher, and means for directing fuel into saidwhirling gases and adapted to be forced by .said gases against saidwalls.- 7

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our handsat Los Angeles,California, this 13th day of November, 1924. v

j CHARLES-A. FRENCH.

- RUSSELL R, WATERMAN.

gential conducting means for continuing the whirling motion of said fueland air mixture.

'7. In a fuelizer for hydrocarbons, a fuel and airpressure supply means,an annular vaporizing member; tangential conducting means for causingthe fuel to whirl and circulate in said annular vaporizing member, acombustion chamber A communicating there- 35 with, means for causing theburned gases .to

whirl, a chamberfor receiving the same, and

a main fuel supply communicating with I 'said last mentioned-chamberwhereby fuel chamber for receiving the burned gases from the pilotcombustion chamber, means in-connection with the piiotiburner forcausing the gases therefrom to whirl, and to whirl Within the mainvaporizing chamber, and a main liquid fuel supply communicating withsaid last mentioned chamber, the liquid fuel thereof being adapted to bevaporizedby and intermingled with the burned gases from the combustionchamber, the gases from the pilot com- -bustion chamber being the mainsource of gases within the main combustion chamber.

10. In a fuelizer for hydrocarbons, a combustion chamber, a vaporizingchamber communicating-therewith and adapted to receive

